Technical Coordinator (Retainer)

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is looking for an experienced Technical Coordinator (Retainer, Home-Based) to work with our team across West Africa Countries under the Ghana Operational Hub, especially in our Sierra Leone Country Office.

Whether it’s fighting Ebola by securing works contracts for new isolation wards, helping establish West Africa’s largest renewable energy micro-grids project, or managing remediation works after last year’s devastating landslide, the work you do at UNOPS is about building a future we all can believe in.

If you have experience leading teams, are excited to expand our sustainable project management initiatives, are great at facilitating technical teams to develop innovative solutions, are always ready to get hands on with the work and can lead partners through best practice in infrastructure and project management, then this is your opportunity.

Things happen quickly at UNOPS and we are looking for enthusiastic team players who are ready to not only keep up but also blaze a path forward. The sub-regional office based in Accra, Ghana is UNOPS newest and covers the Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. As a central resource for the United Nations and its member governments, UNOPS is a global organization that is focused on making a local difference with some of the world’s top services in Project Management, Infrastructure and Procurement.

This position will be home-based with frequent travel within West Africa Countries under the Ghana Operational Hub especially Sierra Leone Country Office.

What drives us is a passion to fight inequalities and to provide opportunities to those most vulnerable. Come help us build the foundations for communities to function and people to live with dignity and respect.

The Technical Coordinator will provide expert technical guidance, operational support, project management advice and stakeholder management on a variety of projects.  He/she is expected to meet and exceed the organisations performance and delivery goals.

The Technical Coordinator is responsible for supporting respective Project Managers in all aspects of the project life cycle.  S/he must be able to apply, with a high degree of autonomy, the below duties and responsibilities.

Technical Advice and Quality Assurance:

• Providing technical advice and support in infrastructure and project management to UNOPS project personnel and country management teams
• Supporting the project managers with quality assurance, support and advice regarding the implementation of infrastructure projects and partnerships development
• Provide advice to the preparation of technical specifications, Bills of Quantities, bidding documentation, engineering drawings, construction methodologies, construction planning and programming, and assessments of contractors’ technical capacity to deliver
• Assessment of the quality of design and construction
• Advising the UNOPS Country management teams regarding compliance with UNOPS Health and Safety and Environmental and Social Management System

Implementation Support:

• Substantive support to the Programme/Project and Team Managers in the implementation of infrastructure projects
• Advise infrastructure practitioners on the application, interpretation and adoption of corporate policy, guidance and industry best practices
• Advising the Country management Teams regarding design considerations and design review requirements
• Support with the identification, engagement and management of local and regional consultancy firms providing these services

Project Management Support:

• Providing substantive support in the planning and implementation of projects and programmes throughout their whole life cycle
• Providing advice to projects or programmes that may need to be brought back to stability
• Providing advice on how to embed best practices of project and programme governance, risk management, project and programme management
• Advise and provide expertise/support in the implementation of UNOPS Project and Programme Management methodologies, which are based on best practices as recommended by PMI and PRINCE2
• Advising UNOPS Programme and Project Manager on measures to strengthen national capacity building with regards to sustainable project management best practices, as well as other cross cutting issues, and support a stronger focus on benefit management of projects
• Assist with the development of work plans and provide tangible support in helping country offices, where relevant, achieve P3M3 level 3 or 4
• Advisory support to field staff on UNOPS best practices, engagement risks, management models and use of PM tools and systems

Stakeholder Management:

• Establish solid working relationship with the project board (Executive, Senior Users and Senior Suppliers), client and key stakeholders
• Manage communications and ensure stakeholders are aware of activities, progress, exceptions and are in a position to accept handover products

• Contribute to project reporting

Knowledge Sharing:

• Broadening the infrastructure and project management capabilities of UNOPS personnel, while disseminating best-practices in both of these areas
• Training in best practices in infrastructure and project management
• Gathering case studies and best practice examples and participating in the development of guidance materials and tools
• Supporting the Hub Director and country managers in relevant events such as conferences and in high level meetings, e.g. with government officials

Partnerships Development Support:

• Representing UNOPS at appropriate regional or country level fora
• Reviewing proposals for infrastructure projects as appropriate
• Providing advice and support on new initiatives from a technical perspective, with focus on quality assurance and quality control for project documents, costing and cost implications
• Advise and assist with technical inputs to proposals, including project planning, governance and approach considerations

Other:

• Perform any other duties deemed necessary by the Country Manger or Head of Programme

Monitoring and Progress Controls

• Prepare activity reports and mission reports upon your activities and engagement
• Prepare written reports to donors and government partners
• Successfully meeting deadlines based on work plan

A.  Education

• Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering, Engineering,  Architecture, Construction Management, Project Management or other relevant discipline is required. 

• Candidate/s with Bachelor’s Degree with a combination of 2 additional years of relevant professional experience will be accepted.

• Applicants with Technical/Professional Diploma  with a combination of 4 additional years of relevant professional experience will also be considered in lieu of the Master's Degree..

• Professional certification i.e. CEng, PE, P.Eng, MArch, PMP or equivalent will be an asset.

• PRINCE 2 Practitioner Certification is desirable

B. Work Experience

• Minimum seven (7) years of progressive experience in project development and management, in either public or private sector organizations.
• A minimum of 3 years of managerial level experience is required.
• Knowledge of the UN system and familiarity with UNOPS procedures is an advantage
• Experience of work with UNOPS is desirable
• Relevant experience working in Sierra Leone and/or West Africa will be considered an asset
• Competent in the use of all commonly used computer software – spreadsheets and other computer programmes is preferable.

C.   Language:

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required.
• Knowledge of another official UNOPS language is an asset.
  

UNOPS supports the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efficient manner.

Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices, always satisfying or surpassing our partners’ expectations.

With over 7,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, wherever they need it.

A flexible structure and global reach means that we can quickly respond to our partners' needs, while offering the benefits of economies of scale. 

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS. 
• The UNOPS Personnel Management Framework has a Policy on Harmonization between work and personal life.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.